It might be too late to help quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who got himself into a jackpot in a VIP bathroom in a Milledgeville, Ga., college bar and is facing at least a four-game suspension to start the NFL season. It's also too late to help wide receiver Santonio Holmes, who had a variety of legal problems before he was traded to the New York Jets. But it's not too late to help Maurkice Pouncey. Jason Worilds. Emmanuel Sanders. Even the younger veterans on the Steelers.

"I try to tell those guys it's all about using their time better and making better decisions," linebacker James Farrior said at training camp this week. "Most of it is just common sense. You're a grown man. You know what to do and what not to do. You know what's going to get you in trouble. Stay away from it."

That's just like Farrior to try to turn Roethlisberger's and Holmes' mistakes into something positive for the Steelers. He's a terrific team leader, in the mold of Jerome Bettis before him. The football team might be coach Mike Tomlin's, but the locker room is Farrior's. When he speaks, the younger players listen. If they don't, they are fools.

That's why it's nice that Farrior is back for his 14th NFL season. He's not the same player he was five years ago. No player 35 is the same as he was when he was 30. Clearly, there were signs last season that Farrior's performance had started to slip. "I know I left plenty of plays on the field when I really could have helped the team," he said.

But Farrior isn't quite ready to write off his career. Nor am I willing to do it for him. It will be a surprise -- at least to me -- if he and Lawrence Timmons aren't the Steelers' starting inside linebackers again this season, although Larry Foote, back after a year with the Detroit Lions, certainly is in the mix.

"I feel like I made all the right steps to get better," Farrior said. He talked of working out during the offseason with teammates Foote, Ike Taylor, Bryant McFadden and William Gay in the "hot-ass" Orlando, Fla., sun with conditioning guru Tom Shaw. "I'm in the best shape I've been in in a while."

Farrior and Foote are best friends. "I'm glad that loud mouth is back," Farrior said, grinning. If the two are uncomfortable about competing for a job, they hide it well. "That's the great thing about this team," Farrior said. "McFadden and Gay worked out with us, and they never talked once about competing for a job. We're all in this together. I know the coaches are going to put the best players out there. If it's not me, I'll do whatever I have to do to get better."

The defense needs to be better, period. It gave up too many big plays last season and had too many breakdowns, losing five fourth-quarter leads. "Heart-breaking," Farrior called the collapses. "But we've got everybody back that we feel we can win a championship with. We're locked and loaded."

Farrior wasn't just talking about Foote and McFadden, who spent last season with the Arizona Cardinals. He, like everyone else who follows the Steelers, thinks it will be huge to get back a healthy Troy Polamalu at safety and a healthy Aaron Smith at defensive end.

"People ask me all the time how much difference Troy will make," Farrior said. "I tell them he's one of the greatest players I've ever played with. But the key to our defense is Aaron, more so than Troy. He's almost the perfect player. He never does anything bad out there. The coaches never yell at him."

Farrior grinned, again.

"They yell at me all the time."

We'll begin to find out how much Farrior has left and how good this defense will be when the preseason starts Aug.14. In the meantime, Farrior will continue to offer wise advice to his younger teammates.

Maybe even to one of his older ones.

"I'm sure I'll talk to Ben at some point during camp," Farrior said. "It won't be something I'll talk about out in the open. I don't think I have to say too much to him. He knows the situation. He just has to make better decisions."

Pouncey, Worilds, Sanders and the rest of the younger Steelers can learn so much not just by listening to what Farrior says, but by noticing the big price that Roethlisberger has paid for his indiscretions.

"It's like I tell them: 'You don't want to do anything to mess up the chance to make this kind of living,' " Farrior said.

"That usually sticks with them more than anything. When you start talking about their money, they sit up and pay attention."

Why shouldn't they?

That's a good message from a great team leader.
Ron Cook: rcook@post-gazette.com. Ron Cook can be heard on the "Vinnie and Cook" show weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 93.7 The Fan. More articles by this author
First published on August 3, 2010 at 12:00 am

Cool beans. I decided about 5 years ago to get his jersey. Great Steeler for the ages IMO.

Crash

08-03-2010, 03:06 AM

He's a terrific team leader, in the mold of Jerome Bettis before him.

Wasn't Bettis accused of sexual assault a year after he got into a fight at Bobby Dale's?

The same guy who claims he faked an injury to stay on the team?

The same guy who claims the Steelers cut Kordell over money and the Steelers "set up" Kordell to fail?

Why do media people portray Bettis as this selfless leader who never did anything questionable?

He also held out with the Rams with THREE SEASONS left on his contract.

I'm so sick of the Pittsburgh media and their protecting of players who kiss a$$.

steelblood

08-03-2010, 09:07 AM

He's a terrific team leader, in the mold of Jerome Bettis before him.

Wasn't Bettis accused of sexual assault a year after he got into a fight at Bobby Dale's?

The same guy who claims he faked an injury to stay on the team?

The same guy who claims the Steelers cut Kordell over money and the Steelers "set up" Kordell to fail?

Why do media people portray Bettis as this selfless leader who never did anything questionable?

He also held out with the Rams with THREE SEASONS left on his contract.

I'm so sick of the Pittsburgh media and their protecting of players who kiss a$$.

So you want the media to give him a hard time for being "accused of sexual assault"?
Mixed messages.

feltdizz

08-03-2010, 09:28 AM

Why would the Pittsburgh media care about Bettis holding out on the Rams?

The NFL is a business, didn't Bettis also reduce his salary and keep quiet when FWP replaced him?

How is defending Kordell and blaming the coaches and FO's revolving OC's seen as a bad thing? Most players are loyal to each other and view the FO as the enemy so to speak.

Didn't he adopt Ben from day one and bring him to Vet functions where rookies usually couldn't attend?

Crash, you sure hate a lot of fan favorites.

cruzer8

08-03-2010, 10:15 AM

He's a terrific team leader, in the mold of Jerome Bettis before him.

Wasn't Bettis accused of sexual assault a year after he got into a fight at Bobby Dale's?

The same guy who claims he faked an injury to stay on the team?

The same guy who claims the Steelers cut Kordell over money and the Steelers "set up" Kordell to fail?

Why do media people portray Bettis as this selfless leader who never did anything questionable?

He also held out with the Rams with THREE SEASONS left on his contract.

I'm so sick of the Pittsburgh media and their protecting of players who kiss a$$.

So you want the media to give him a hard time for being "accused of sexual assault"?
Mixed messages.

I think the point is the media didn't grill Bettis like they did Ben.

steeler_fan_in_t.o.

08-03-2010, 10:26 AM

"People ask me all the time how much difference Troy will make," Farrior said. "I tell them he's one of the greatest players I've ever played with. But the key to our defense is Aaron, more so than Troy. He's almost the perfect player. He never does anything bad out there. The coaches never yell at him."

It is so nice to see him get his due. The most underrated player on this team. And it took a black teammate to give him his rightful props. :lol: :stirpot

Crash

08-03-2010, 01:57 PM

He's a terrific team leader, in the mold of Jerome Bettis before him.

Wasn't Bettis accused of sexual assault a year after he got into a fight at Bobby Dale's?

The same guy who claims he faked an injury to stay on the team?

The same guy who claims the Steelers cut Kordell over money and the Steelers "set up" Kordell to fail?

Why do media people portray Bettis as this selfless leader who never did anything questionable?

He also held out with the Rams with THREE SEASONS left on his contract.

I'm so sick of the Pittsburgh media and their protecting of players who kiss a$$.

So you want the media to give him a hard time for being "accused of sexual assault"?
Mixed messages.

I think the point is the media didn't grill Bettis like they did Ben.

See how easy that was people?

Crash

08-03-2010, 02:00 PM

How is defending Kordell and blaming the coaches and FO's revolving OC's seen as a bad thing? Most players are loyal to each other and view the FO as the enemy so to speak.

He said the FO set him up to fail because they didn't want to pay Kordell big money.

THEY ALREADY HAD PAID HIM BIG MONEY YOU DOPE!

They re-worked Kordell's deal twice in less than two years, including the highest bonus, and contract after a poor 1998 season.

But because Helmet Cake wanted to hawk a book, he threw the organization under the bus.

BURGH86STEEL

08-03-2010, 02:11 PM

He's a terrific team leader, in the mold of Jerome Bettis before him.

Wasn't Bettis accused of sexual assault a year after he got into a fight at Bobby Dale's?

The same guy who claims he faked an injury to stay on the team?

The same guy who claims the Steelers cut Kordell over money and the Steelers "set up" Kordell to fail?

Why do media people portray Bettis as this selfless leader who never did anything questionable?

He also held out with the Rams with THREE SEASONS left on his contract.

I'm so sick of the Pittsburgh media and their protecting of players who kiss a$$.

So you want the media to give him a hard time for being "accused of sexual assault"?
Mixed messages.

Double standard?

Steelers&gt;NFL

08-03-2010, 02:44 PM

Ben never listened to Farrior. Too bad.

feltdizz

08-03-2010, 07:48 PM

How is defending Kordell and blaming the coaches and FO's revolving OC's seen as a bad thing? Most players are loyal to each other and view the FO as the enemy so to speak.

He said the FO set him up to fail because they didn't want to pay Kordell big money.

THEY ALREADY HAD PAID HIM BIG MONEY YOU DOPE!

They re-worked Kordell's deal twice in less than two years, including the highest bonus, and contract after a poor 1998 season.

But because Helmet Cake wanted to hawk a book, he threw the organization under the bus.

what part of my quote goes into detail over the money situation with Kordell you big dummy?

If Kordell was cut he wasn't paid all of his money... maybe that is what Bettis meant.

Once again... players usually defend players when it comes to the FO. I know it's hard for you to understand since you see everything with hate goggles.

Captain Lemming

08-03-2010, 11:58 PM

He's a terrific team leader, in the mold of Jerome Bettis before him.

Wasn't Bettis accused of sexual assault a year after he got into a fight at Bobby Dale's?

The same guy who claims he faked an injury to stay on the team?

The same guy who claims the Steelers cut Kordell over money and the Steelers "set up" Kordell to fail?

Why do media people portray Bettis as this selfless leader who never did anything questionable?

He also held out with the Rams with THREE SEASONS left on his contract.

I'm so sick of the Pittsburgh media and their protecting of players who kiss a$$.

So you want the media to give him a hard time for being "accused of sexual assault"?
Mixed messages.

I think the point is the media didn't grill Bettis like they did Ben.

See how easy that was people?

The media wasnt all that hard on Ben.....the first time.
It has happened to many athletes....ONCE.

If you want to compare Ben and Bettis compare Bettis with Ben in Vegas.

Ben WAS the bigger story true, but the media largely did not come down hard on Ben, nothing at all like Georgia.

The only reason that this matter completely went ballistic is that Ben was accused TWICE in one year.

stlrz d

08-04-2010, 08:01 AM

It went completely ballistic due to the outlandish claims made by the SoHo's.

RuthlessBurgher

08-04-2010, 09:42 AM

How is defending Kordell and blaming the coaches and FO's revolving OC's seen as a bad thing? Most players are loyal to each other and view the FO as the enemy so to speak.

He said the FO set him up to fail because they didn't want to pay Kordell big money.

THEY ALREADY HAD PAID HIM BIG MONEY YOU DOPE!

They re-worked Kordell's deal twice in less than two years, including the highest bonus, and contract after a poor 1998 season.

But because Helmet Cake wanted to hawk a book, he threw the organization under the bus.

what part of my quote goes into detail over the money situation with Kordell you big dummy?

If Kordell was cut he wasn't paid all of his money... maybe that is what Bettis meant.

Once again... players usually defend players when it comes to the FO. I know it's hard for you to understand since you see everything with hate goggles.

Unofficial board rules stipulate that you cannot use the term "you big dummy" without paying tribute to the late, great Redd Foxx.